They Say That Good Things Take Time
by Mia M. Turner
Summary: While waiting for Alex to get home for a little basketball practice, Mike finds himself an unwilling participant in a heart to heart with his daughter, Maggie. Spoilers. Rated just to be safe.


**A/N:** Yes, I should definitely be working on the High School Musical fiction I just started. And I am, I swear. But today I went to see 17 Again (for my 20th birthday, woohoo!) and was totally inspired to write this little piece, so this is just something I churned out after seeing what I thought was a very moving and deep movie.

On a quick note, I tried my best to get this to be as close to a father/daughter thing and make it as less creepy as was possible. It's difficult to do such a thing of course when the father is the same age as the kid. So just so everyone knows, my intention was _not_ to go with romance for this fic. If you have any concrit or suggestions, don't hesitate to leave it in a review. All criticism is greatly appreciated, especially since this is my first time delving into such a serious subject, I think.

Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own 17 Again

_Anger. Frustration. Pain._

There wasn't a word strong enough to explain what Mike was feeling at the moment.

_Confusion..._

That word was closer... Not quite enough to describe the flood of emotions welling up in the pit of his stomach, but close enough.

He was angry because the outside world seemed dead set on keeping him away from his sweet Scarlett. He was frustrated because in his current state, there wasn't a thing he could do about it. He was in pain because it was abundantly clear that his family was better off without him.

He was confused because, despite it all, they _needed_ him.

They needed him now more than they'd _ever_ needed him. And what had changed? Not much... Just a difference of 25 years.

A faint noise abruptly brought Mike out of his thoughts. He slowly turned his head towards the source...

Maggie's Room.

He slowly stood up, his legs seemingly detached from his brain, and took slow, solemn steps towards the door. It sounded like she was listening to her stereo...

He stopped outside the door and was surprised to not hear her usual loud and obnoxious rock music. A faint smirk crossed his lips.

Oh yes, Maggie had _always_ been a closet Hannah Montana fan.

"_They say that good things take time... But really great things happen in the blink of an eye..."_

Mike inhaled deeply and quietly nudged the door open, peeking inside. There was Maggie, sitting on her bed, her knees hugged to her chest, eyes closed, humming softly along with the song.

He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, reveling in how close he was to his children for the first time in years.

He opened his eyes again and stared intensely at the young girl sitting a few feet away from him. This was certainly a side to Maggie he hadn't seen much of. Everything she did was so bold, so harsh. Noticing her sniff and quickly wipe her eyes, he heaved a sigh. She had her weaknesses, it was apparent now more than ever.

Mike blinked back a few tears of his own... God, why was he so prone to crying lately? He seemed to be re-experiencing several teenage habits lately... Insatiable hunger, boundless energy, and, as was evident now, raging hormones.

He quickly wiped a tear from his cheek. He wanted nothing more than to walk in, sit down, and wrap his daughter in a tight, loving hug. He felt the familiar sensation of frustration stir in his stomach once more. He was so close to her... He understood more of what she was going through now than he ever had before, and yet he couldn't do anything a father would do...

No, that would only get him booted from the house, which could only make things worse.

Mike gently bit his bottom lip, formulating a game plan before entering the room. He could just go in there and comfort her for a few minutes... as a friend of course... quickly and quietly and just get out. Being a teenager was all in the technique at this point.

'Just like basketball,' he told himself. 'Find an opening and go for it...'

Mike knocked gently on the door. Maggie's head snapped up right away as she rushed to wipe all traces of tears from her face.

"What are you doing here? Alex left hours ago..."

Mike shrugged. "I came by to talk to him and your mom let me in... Said I could wait around here until he came back." An awkward pause... "Did you have a problem with that?" he asked, hoping the fathering tone in his voice wasn't apparent. Maggie simply rolled her eyes and turned away.

"...So what were you crying for?"

Maggie jumped slightly, not sure if she was more offended by his prying, or nervous that she felt the bed dip slightly, indicating that he had sat down next to her. She found herself turning her head to gaze into his bright blue eyes. They reminded her so much of...

No, she shuddered just thinking about it. That would be the worst comparison _ever_. This absolutely gorgeous guy was _not_ comparable to her _father_. Mike ran a nervous hand through his hair, thinking about what he could say or do that didn't cross the line from friendly to parental.

"This has something to do with Stan doesn't it?" The mere mention of his name brought his daughter to racking sobs. Before he could stop himself, he enveloped her into a tight hug, gently resting his chin on her head. Maggie, seemingly unaware of herself, clung gently to his sleeve. She did however find it a _bit_ weird that he was rocking her back and forth and gently shushing her. She twisted her mouth and made a face. This was a bit too fatherly for her tastes... She had to admit it was creeping her out a bit. She put a little distance between them before answering.

"I'm fine. Stan... he just... we had a little argument today..." She wiped her eyes on her sleeve and let out a nervous chuckle. "I still love him... So much... and I know he cares for me. We'll get through this."

Mike rolled his eyes dramatically, but kept his loving hold on his little girl. "Listen, I think you should take this sort of thing a bit more seriously. Maybe it's not meant to be, Maggie. Think about it... This guy mercilessly beats on your little brother, and mentally, he doesn't treat you much better--"

"If you're going to bash my boyfriend, you can get out right now. I don't need to take your shi--"

"Margaret O'Donnell, you _watch_ what tone you take with me." It wasn't until she stared at him as though he'd just sprouted a second head did he realize what he'd said. "I mean... don't-- um... n-not a big fan of cursing," he muttered, anxiously scratching the back of his head. Maggie simply raised an eyebrow at him before looking away.

"I don't care what you think... I don't care what _anyone _thinks. I love Stan, and I plan on spending the rest of my life with him." She smiled reluctantly, determined to not show any hint of doubt or self-loathing.

Mike closed his eyes and shook his head, a concerned expression on his face. "You don't always have to be so stubborn, Maggie."

Maggie snapped her head in his direction to look him in the eyes again. Mike reached a hand out and ran his thumb gently back and forth across her cheek. "You deserve better. Whatever you choose, don't give up your self-worth. For me? Please?" A slight pause... "I love you."

He shut his eyes tightly and pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew she would take that wrong way... _God_ would she take it the wrong way. But he didn't care much at the moment. His fatherly instincts hadn't left him after the transformation, and right now they were telling him he needed to protect his little girl and let her know that she was loved.

Maggie seemed unsure of what to answer. At the start of their conversation she was sure she found herself attracted to this guy. Now, even though she was sitting close to him, leaning her head on his shoulder as he stroked the top of her head, she couldn't help but see him as a sort of older brother...

Or to go out on a limb, a _father_.

She quickly shook the thought from her head. That was too much of a stretch... He was barely a year older than her, after all.

Both teenagers looked up at the sound of the front door opening and Alex announcing that he was home. Mike stood up and left the room to go greet him without so much as a final word to Maggie. She sat back and frowned. Who, exactly, was this mysterious person that suddenly entered their lives, throwing everything into disorder?

She felt a small smile form across he lips as she watched him and her little brother run out to the basketball court together. Noticing she was peeking at them through the window, he gave her a small wave.

As he positioned his son's hands correctly on the basketball, he tried to hold back a brilliant smile. He'd never felt more useful to his family. Ever.

For once, it seemed being a teenager again wasn't so bad after all.


End file.
